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A woman with four suitors
It is a really good production: an excellent cast who acted well, good looking actors and actresses, CGI is good, cinematography is great and costumes are lovely. So all the hygiene factors are there.What I like about this drama?
1. Yang Zi had excellent chemistry with her 4 suitors. And she acted according to her relation to them: fear of the demon lord yet fond of him, anger with the betrayal of her real lover and dignified jealousy of his fiancee, gentleness and devotion to her lost cousin when she discovered him, and polite respect for her last suitor on the scene, who demonstrated his fondness of her. I think she was at one of her best. And she looked stunning dressed as the princess.
2. The story was well paced and interesting enough to keep me pursuing the drama to the end. Out of the 39 episodes, I can only recall one episode which was a little draggy. And this was probably because I had mistakenly skipped this episode and went back to catch up with it and I knew what was going to happen next.
What I dislike about this drama?
1. I felt that while Xiao Yao's selected fiance was a good choice, his relationship with her was the most shallow. So I felt it is a bit of a shame.
2. And since the drama ended prematurely, the conspiracy behind the Tushan family was unexplained and the lover's betrayal was not clarified - poor guy who was so much in love with Xiao Yao and had done so much for her.
But overall, I would give this drama a thumb up and highly recommend it.
It looks like there is a part 2 to this drama. Frankly when I watched some of the trailers of the follow-on, it looked trashy, with the main character Xiao Yao (Yang Zi) nearly marrying every of her suitors, and two of them died. I do not like tragedies. I like to have a good feeling after watching a drama, not sick in the stomach.
However, if I should ever write the ending of this drama, I would give it a twist and end it like this:
Cang Xuan ascended the throne on the support of the clans in the central plain. He fulfilled his promise to Xiang Liu and gave one of the mountains as a burial ground for the dead ChenRong warriors. Hong Liang, the ChenRong last defending general was impressed. He proposed a peace truce on the condition of a marriage alliance with the heir apparent (would be Crown Prince if the kingdom had not fallen) of the ChenRong royal family and Xiao Yao who was both a princess of HaoLing and a close cousin of the new emperor, therefore representing both kingdoms. The heir-apparent's identity and whereabout had been kept secret all these years to protect him from assassination. And he requested for all treasures of the ChenRong's royal family and the rebuilt ChenRong palace to be returned as a dowry for the princess and all the remnant ChenRong warriors to be pardoned.
CangXuan did not like the idea that an heir apparent existed and could potentially gain support for the re-built of the ChenRong kingdom. While Xiao Yao tried to get in touch with Xiang Liu to find out what was going, but he passed a message to her that the heir apparent was good looking, capable and in love with her, and encouraged her to agree to the marriage.
Before any decision, Cang Xuan revealed his love for Xiao Yao and promised that if XiaoYao should marry him, she would be the new empress as his current wife was only a concubine. Possibly, the old emperor was leaving the empress position for Xiao Yao when he decreed that Shen was to be the concubine and not the queen. Xiao Yao replied that she loved him as a brother and did not have any romantic feeling for him but want to support him with all her ability to bring prosperity to his kingdom.
Saddened by the news that her real lover had just fathered a child, Xiang Liu's indifference and her shallow relationship with her fiance, she agreed to the marriage alliance to bring peace to Cang Xuan's kingdom. Her father, King of HaoLing, supported her decision to breakup her current engagement and marry the ChenRong heir apparent. Her fiance was heart broken. Cang Xuan however promised only the palace as dowry as the treasures of the ChenRong kingdom had long been awarded to the different mandarins who helped in the overthrow of ChenRong and to pardon all the remnant warriors if they lay down their arms. But the King of Haoling backed his daughter up with a generous dowry.
On the wedding day, the ChenRong heir apparent fetched XiaoYao from the ChenRong's mansion in a red cloak with a hood covering his face and a crystal mask. At the ceremony altar at the palace, Xiao Yao could see through her veil that he looked familiar. Xiyan anti-ChenRong faction with the silent approval of Cang Xuan and her ex-fiance, attempted to assassinate the heir apparent. In the fight, the red hood and mask was lifted from his head and it was revealed that the heir apparent is Xiang Liu! Xiao Yao was surprised and stunned for a moment but stepped in to defend Xiang Liu. The assassination failed as Cang Xuan ordered his guards in to protect her. Xiao Yao suspected that it was Cang Xuan's conspiracy to murder her husband and left with Xiang Liu to QingShui where they lived in seclusion. Her real lover, after realising his marriage is a sham, arrived only to see her leave with Xiang Liu. So Xiao Yao was lost to Cang Xuan, her ex-fiance and real lover forever.
Like my review or ending, give it a thumbs up. Let me know which you like in the comments. lol
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This drama has a very young cast - the key leads are mostly less than 30 years old. It seems the China drama industry is replacing an entire generation of older established well-known artistes who are now in their late 30s or older, with a younger generation of new heartthrobs.
The male lead Chen Xing Xu does a great job acting 4 different characters. I must say the make-up specialist/s did a great job too. If you observe carefully, the four characters look slightly different with YouQin looking a bit more chubby, Mei looks much thinner, La Mu very scruffy and Wen Ren very refined, in their features.
With a theme of a mixed up in the wedding carriage, you would expect a lot of humour, and it does provide a lot of comic relief. And the drama is packed with actions.
Of the Chinese dramas I have watch post pandemic (but did not check whether they are produced pre or post), numerous are very good productions. This drama, Till the End of the Moon (still my favourite post pandemic production), The Blood of Youth and so on are all very good.
Improvements I must say the Chinese drama production needs are
1. New themes and creativity. The Chinese drama industry is seriously in need of this. After watching the huge number of Chinese dramas as I had, the dramas started to look the same although the storyline might be different. Boredom is somewhat setting in. This is of course going to be a big challenge. Producers like to emulate the themes of successful earlier productions and what have been tested, succeed and allowed in the greatly politically controlled environment. This is precisely why The Untamed did so well - of course the leads did fabulously well but most importantly the storyline was quite unlike the rest.
2. For this drama, it is overall very good but lack memorable moments like Nirvana in Fire and Ten Mile of Peach Blossom, or intense emotional expressions like those of Luo YunXi in Till the End of the Moon and Ashes of Love.
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This review may contain spoilers
It's a pretty dark ending
If you have depression, do not watch this drama. The ending is very dark: no couples are eventually happy, the country is thrown into chaos and yet another child emperor ascends the throne.On a positive note, the support cast is good looking and does a very good job. There are some good music pieces.
I come across a lot of positive reviews of this drama but I think it is mainly because of Bai Lu and Ren Jia Lun, the current popular heartthrobs. The chemistry between the leads is excellent.
For most part of the drama, it is the romance between Cui ShiYi (Bai Lu) and Zhou ShengChen (Ren JiaLun), so there are a lot of building up of their romance and emotions. It is mainly all the lovey-dovey moment - loving each other and could not express and having to hold back, each with their constraints. If you are not into these, it is also very slow moving. Battle scenes are quite lacklustre as these are just secondary.
There are a lot of comments that the story is great but I differ in my opinion. I say the production and directing are great as it brings out a lot of emotions - if the ending is that dark, with good directing it is hard not for anyone to cry although I did not.
The story is rather strange and rather unrealistic. And here are why I say that:
1. Minister Cui Guang supported the child emperor to the throne expecting his niece Cui Shi Yi to become the next empress only to find to his horror that the new Empress Dowager has other plans - to keep her as crown princess by appointing the child emperor's elder cousin as crown prince. She has become the fiancee of the new crown prince instead. Unless this story is not of Chinese background but of some minority tribe - passing a fiancée to a cousin is hardly acceptable in Chinese culture much less appointing an elder to become a successor. But with a surname Liu, it is implying the Chinese Han dynasty. And why appoint an older successor - just to avoid marrying the mute Cui ShiYi?
2. Minister Cui then requests for Prince Zhou Sheng Chen to become his niece Shifu (teacher). Again very weird: pushing a young girl into the care of a bachelor prince although he might have vowed to stay single and not to have children. Perhaps for the protection of the Prince for the Cui family?
3. Prince Zhou stubbornly refuses to leave the entrapment when the conspirators uses the Liu royal family and court as hostages. Why would a general with a peerless track record of success on the battlefield be suddenly so stupidly bigoted. His military advisor arrives in time to save him. If his advisor is smart enough to come to the rescue, surely Zhou knows better to leave at the urge of his own team and his hostages. Eventually the hostages are massacred and he dies of torture. Why would a big 'killer' be so easily swayed especially since these hostages are not close to him? I expect him to be a better strategist.
4. When someone important jumps from the city tower, why do the soldiers not try to help but instead concentrate on driving helpers away.
These are all important turning points in the story. The development of the story is not naturally and is very obviously to dramatise. All movies and dramas dramatises, but there is a difference between doing it realistically or creating obvious conveniences, and this story sounds more like the latter - it needs great skills to do that realistically.
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Could have been better
This drama has an interesting start to the story - a swap of souls between the emperor and a maid. This leads to a lot of hilarious moments as the maid is infatuated with an imperial guard captain. Demonstrating her affection in the body of the emperor, it causes a lot of misunderstanding that the emperor is gay.The story goes on to give a twist - there is a double conspiracy going on. The maid is not who she thinks she is, and the emperor has other hidden agenda. This twist is interesting if the transition is properly developed, but unfortunately it is a bit awkward.
But the second twist in last episode was the worst. There seems to be this obsession with time travel, crossing dimension type of science fiction in Chinese drama. When it is not well developed and does not flow naturally with the story, it really spoils the drama as it stands out like a sore thumb.
For 20 episodes of half hour each, this is a very short drama. If you are not too concern about the flaws in the story and are in just for a laugh, this makes a light-hearted comical entertainment.
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If you like soap operas, this is for you...
The cast has this ''cry-on-demand'' ability and comprises very good actors/actresses. I watched this drama because of the lead actor Kim Ji Han (aka Jin Yi Han) as I was mesmerised by his performance in Empress Ki - he speaks not only through words but also his facial expressions - and of course his good looks. And for the guys, there are plenty of good looking actresses.The story centred around 3 ''orphans'' from different backgrounds - one is actively searching for his roots having lost his memory, one knows his roots and has a secret to hide, and the third is kept in the dark by the father who refuses to reveal the truth. Complications arise as they meet each other, fall in love, unaware of how their past lives have crossed and how they are related.
You would be glued to the drama as you pursue the mystery of what happens in the past and what is going to happen to the different characters. Get ready your handkerchief for the sobbing moments. Romance, sadness, humour - you will experience all these watching this drama. It is a trigger for a wide range of emotions.
What I really appreciate of this drama, aside for the range of emotions it evokes, is the diverse combination of personalities portrayed: kind and considerate but naive, kind but outwardly cold and smart, a ''bum'' but actually has an outstanding hidden skill, appears calculating but actually is very caring inside, scheming but has a soft emotional side, evil and non-repentant, brash and unpretentious but upright, and the list goes on. A very realistic portrayal of human personalities - none of those perfect non-existence character who is good in everything. The story as a whole is very well woven together.
However, the story is not entirely realistic - the bad guys seem to conveniently overhear important secrets at the right moment so they could scheme. Similarly the good guys would overhear those same secrets to be shocked or find out the truth. Since I cannot even figure out what my colleagues are talking about across the office, I could not see how people could pick up secrets so easily. Characters are always just keeping secrets and telling a white lie in the premise of saving others from getting hurt by the truth, or as they are too proud to admit their pain - this theme is so cliche, or is it cultural?
This was a long 122 episodes melodramatic soap drama although each episode is only a short half hour long. Still that would make over 60 episodes of the typical hour long drama series. There are a lot of draggy moments. I tapped the 10s forward icon a lot when the conversation got lengthy and not a lot was happening, when watching the drama. The ending is not quite strong - so very typical of long dramas. The evil ones should be punished heavier. It seems like writers and directors are just happy to have hold your attention to the end and not quite care how they end it.
In spite of some shortcomings, this is a very entertaining drama. If you like romantic soap operas, this is for you.
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Quite average
This drama is short compared to most Chinese drama and makes quite light-hearted entertainment. The drama started well but become yet another run-of-the-mill later in the story. There are not much heart rending moments and bad times pass quickly. If you are looking for a drama for some casual entertainment and not some heavy-hearted emotional roller coaster, this is it.Contemporary Chinese dramas tend to present heroines who are shrews and strong headed and this is one of them. The heroine is pretty and won the heart of the hero, but she is such a strong-headed shrew - appeal to the feminism of this era. But if i were a man, i would find her a pain to be with.
This drama is overrated on Mydramalist. There are other better dramas which are much better than this, which deserves better ratings. I begin to wonder whether ratings were rigged by some viewers, or i have preferences that differ from the masses. Just cannot understand why such an average drama is rated at 8.1 when Legend of Fei and Legend of Xiao Chuo rated below 8; they are way better than this drama.
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Romance more than politics and war
Part 2 continued from when Niao Niao was betrothed to one of her three admirers, Ling Buyi. She was not happy as the marriage proposal was imposed on her by the emperor through the request of Buyi and she tried to sabotage the engagement. To make matter worse, the step-mother of her fiance had other plans for him. But this fiance had been enchanted by her ever since he first lay eyes on her.As with Niao Niao's mother, BuYi's military background stood in the way of how he related to him and Niao Niao was resentful that she was going to substitute a mother for a militant husband.
Buyi's father was the Marquis ChengYang and Buyi hated him, seemingly because he married the step-mother when Buyi and his mother were missing after the Gu city was massacred. They found themselves back to the capital after a year. But there were more to the story and BuYi had a hidden identity.
BuYi had been investigating the death of his uncle General Huo and the fall of Gu city. In Part 2, the mystery was unraveled and those involved in it was progressively punished but the biggest culprit, as all the evidence leading to him was destroyed. BuYi was left in desperation.
Again twists and turns happened. Five years after BuYi requested for posting to guard the Northern border, Niao Niao found herself considering marriage with Yuan Shen who had been patiently waiting for her.
What I like about Part 2:
- It continued the theme that the righteous won and the wicked were punished.
- So often Chinese dramas supported the unworthy heir because he was the legitimate eldest son - there was this fear of upsetting the Confucious moral ideal of loyalty but not this - the capable one who put in the effort to win eventually won.
What I do not like about Part 2:
- The last few episodes were a drag and a lot of trivia was added to the drama. This drama could have been completed within 50 episodes limit, without dragging Yuan Shen into a marriage consideration. And he could have been happily married to his selected lady.
- Like a lot of Chinese dramas, the ending was awkward. It wanted to give a final twist and it did not achieve that impact.
- I did not really like the way Niao Niao's response to BuYi pushing her away which resulted in a big rift between them. She should understand that he had a need to keep his investigation a secret as any leak could jeopardise his life and he was also trying to keep her family safe. The writer should work on a better reason for the rift.
- I felt sorry for Yuan Shen as I thought he was as worthy of Niao Niao as Buyi. Although much better at looking after his own interest and somewhat scheming, he was more able to understand Niao Niao and accommodate her, initially in a provocative way and later in more gentle way. But unfortunately, Niao Niao could not forget her true love. Hopefully, I had not given too much away with this comment.
- Too much save the damsel in distress by the main lead - should give some chance to the other two admirers to confuse who would eventually end up with her. Also, it was so cliche that he always appeared at the right moment when there was someone else nearer to her.
- The battle scenes were a bit lacklustre as compared to The Rebel Princess and some others.
I rated Part 2 a point less than part 1. Overall the full drama was worth watching if you are into romance story as this drama was more a romantic story - the politics and wars were just the backdrop.
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Suspenseful but slow-moving
Hmm... what should I say about this drama? This is largely an internal family rivalry story with politics at the court as backdrop. Generally very good but did not create not much of an impression. The story is full of suspense but a slow-moving start made me impatient and I went on to watch the last episode before I decide to continue. By then, it had spoiled the suspense. But for the viewers who have not done this, I am sure the suspense would have been quite worth the while.Overall the story is good but there were too many convenient moments when the hero appeared suddenly and saved the heroine. I thought some of the saving the damsel in distress could have been done by the rival lover giving it a bit more bite and contention.
With my experience, only a few dramas managed to hit 70 episodes without draggy moments. 50 episodes are usually the best to cover sufficient depth. This drama is full of draggy slow moments.
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A Comedy of Misunderstandings, Self-Torture, and Second Chances
My Royal Nemesis is one of those dramas that is both genuinely funny and unapologetically melodramatic at the same time. The story unfolds across two timelines: one set in the Joseon era and the other in modern day, with the two narratives gradually intertwining. Without giving away spoilers, it is essentially a tale of two wounded souls whose past experiences have left them cynical, guarded, and deeply suspicious of the idea that anyone could love them unconditionally.Much of the comedy comes from the spectacular misunderstandings between the leads. Se Gye is convinced that Seo Ri is secretly in love with him, while Seo Ri is equally convinced that Se Gye is some kind of unhinged fan. Instead of communicating like sensible adults, both spend an impressive amount of time imagining the worst, over analysing every interaction, and emotionally tormenting themselves. The communication gap between them is so large that it could probably squeeze in a mountain.
Despite the frustration this creates, it is also what makes the drama entertaining. The dry humour lands particularly well because neither character is naturally warm or trusting. They are people who have been hurt before, and watching them slowly navigate their feelings is both amusing and surprisingly touching.
The lead actress deserves special mention. When properly styled, she looks absolutely stunning—elegant, refined, and every inch the heroine. Yet she can just as easily transform into someone goofy, awkward, and downright silly. That versatility allows her to handle both the romantic and comedic aspects of the role with ease.
As for the lead actor... well, let us just say that somebody clearly spent a considerable amount of time in the gym preparing for this drama. His physique certainly does not go unnoticed. Fortunately, he also has enough comedic timing to make Se Gye's delusions and self-inflicted suffering entertaining rather than annoying.
Adding tension to both timelines is a villain who seems impossible to deal with. Whether in Joseon or in modern times, he is always lurking in the background, plotting his next move. He is the sort of character who is so cunning and such a talented actor that everyone around him struggles to see through his mask. Think of a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde figure: outwardly charming, respectable, and trustworthy, but underneath lies someone calculating and dangerous. Just when you think the heroes have caught up with him, he is already three steps ahead. Much of the suspense comes from wondering what he will do next, because whenever he appears, trouble is never far behind.
The drama's greatest strength and weakness is that it fully embraces makjang storytelling. At times, the emotional reactions and conflicts become wildly exaggerated. Take the grandmother's refusal to accept compensation and give up her restaurant. Realistically speaking, she is already at an age where retirement might not be the worst idea. Yet the drama transforms the issue into a life-and-death struggle. Moments like these require viewers to suspend disbelief and simply enjoy the ride.
Overall, My Royal Nemesis is a charming mix of romance, comedy, reincarnation, misunderstandings, scheming villains, and melodrama. If you enjoy watching two stubborn, emotionally damaged people repeatedly misread each other's intentions while fate desperately tries to pull them together—and while a master manipulator continually threatens to derail everything—this drama delivers plenty of laughs, frustration, suspense, and heartwarming moments along the way.
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Twists and turns
This was an interesting story. The Crown Prince died under mysterious circumstance. The royal physicians attributed it to a blood disease. But the Queen believed that he had been murdered. Defiant against all forces trying to stop her, she was determined to investigate. His death sparked off a fight for the crown prince position now out for grabs. The Queen hoped that one of her four grand princes would succeed the Crown Prince. However, the Queen Dowager, Chief State Councilor and other royal consorts especially Consort Hwang, the birth mother of the King's eldest son, were not going to make it easy.What I like about this drama?
1. The story had a lot of twists and turns, shrouded in mystery. The investigation led to the uncovering of a similar mysterious death of Crown Prince Taein, the brother of the current King. So what was the connection? The sons of the Queen, the grand princes were all underdogs - with skeletons in their closets, unambitious or disadvantaged. The power-hungry, scheming and wicked Queen Dowager was against her as well. It all seemed a losing game for the Queen.
2. Mix of humour. The drama was quite intense. However, there were moments of humorous relief.
3. The cast was good, not to leave out good looking as well. The leads were outstanding.
What I do not like about this drama?
1. It was based on yet another theme of fighting for the throne; a theme that was beaten to death.
2. Very intense and stressful to watch.
3. Not much chemistry between the male and female leads. They were not given much chance to demonstrate their chemistry either.
Overall, I rated this a 9.5 with not much else to nitpick on. Enjoy it...
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Comedy and political conspiracy in one - Amazing is the word befitting.
This is yet another amazing drama released in 2021. The male lead is one of the most handsome Chinese actors I have come across. He has this refined scholarly look which I am sure mesmerised a lot of female fans, and for the male viewers: many pretty actresses. I was drawn into watching the drama because of him. He and the female lead both sang the theme songs as well - truly multi-talented. The soundtrack is sentimental and melodious - one of the best Chinese drama soundtracks. The two leads had this amazing chemistry - making the romance and courting scenes sensational. The pace was good with hardly any lull moments. The costumes worn by the lead actress were outstanding.The first half of the drama was about how the two lead characters met and sought to get closer to the other with ulterior motives and for political reasons. They fell truly in love in spite of their differences in talents and interests. As they struggled through self-denial, jealousy started to emerge as other parties stepped into the picture. The humour and funny scenes really cracked me up. The video clips at the beginning and end were too much of a give-away on this - should have left some suspense on who the duchess would eventually chose.
Tension however built during the second half as the conspiracy and fight for the throne intensified and it became chaotic, although with humour interspace throughout. The two went through thick and thin to save the Ban family and help the crown prince.
The story is quite run-of-the-mill in Chinese dramas: love triangles, fight for the throne, jealousy, misunderstanding, rejecting the other in the belief it was for their good, tripping and falling into the arms of the other, saving the damsel in distress - all the common themes and tricks. It is the acting that makes this drama good. Of course, these are common emotions in real life with fight between princes for the throne a common historical occurrence in Chinese history.
The regret the drama left was the crown prince continued to look incompetent even at the end, which seemed not worth the fights to help him re-gain the throne. Somehow, I felt that the throne really should go to Rong, for he was the truly capable one. But this would be very much against the Confucious teaching of loyalty I guess. The writer could have given it a twist here.
With the ban on filming due to the pandemic lifted, loads of good Chinese dramas are released and we will see loads of it and this is one of them.
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This is a triangular romance story, although it is clear who the heroine would choose a few episodes into the story. I think Chinese drama is highly predictable in this element. The hero and heroine would not make a choice outside of questionable moral principles.
The weakness in Chinese dramas is always in the story - may I say unrealistic. The heros and heroines are often near perfect: good-looking (although this is an important factor), kind-hearted, untainted, filial, smart and capable. Sacrificing for their love is always a common theme, and they are always faithful to each other. Life is not quite like this. Keeping secrets that leads to misunderstanding and a big mess up is another - perhaps this is a cultural element since Chinese is not a very communicative race. There were scenes in this drama which would make you question the realism of it. In this case, it is Baili MingXiang - she was always there at the right moment to overhear the important secrets.
The drama had a young cast who did very well. I must add I find the second male lead, Merxat, very handsome. It seems the Uyghur province produces some very good looking actors and actresses, Diraba being the female actress I can quickly recall.
It seems readers only read the early reviews. I am not sure if anyone would read this far down. Click the find it useful button if you do, so I would know.
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I had watched this quite a while ago and could not remember all the details but I remember the drama kept me chasing episodes after episodes. If you know the director of this drama also directed Ten mile peach blossom, Love and destiny, Journey of flower, you know the standard to expect.
Insofar, I have only been impressed with 6 actors who are masters with facial expressions and capable of wrenching viewers' hearts - Luo YunXi, Hu Ge, Wallace Huo, Wang Yibo and Zhang Zhen. The actors and actresses in this drama are great but are not in this league yet and therefore the drama is not of that emotional intensity.
Although I would not put it amongst the top league of Nirvana in Fire, Love and Destiny, Ten mile peach blossom, the Untamed etc it is nevertheless a very good production worth watching.
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Kim Ji-yong's life is shattered when his mother is brutally murdered. The killer receives a sentence of only three and a half years. Worse still, when released from prison, he shows no remorse whatsoever and continues to assault and terrorise others. For Ji-yong, the message is clear: the law may have punished the crime, but it has not delivered justice.
As a student at the police academy, he finds himself caught between two worlds. By weekday, he studies to uphold the law. By weekends, he becomes a vigilante, hunting down violent criminals who have escaped with lenient sentences and making them face consequences the courts never imposed.
It is a dangerous path, but one that many viewers may secretly find themselves sympathising with. How many times have we read news reports of horrific crimes followed by punishments that seem woefully inadequate? The drama constantly forces us to confront the uncomfortable gap between legality and justice.
What begins as personal revenge soon grows into something much larger. Ji-yong finds himself uncovering a network of corruption involving powerful figures who hide behind wealth, influence, and respectability. Senior police officers, politicians, chaebols, serial killers, and even a church pastor all become entangled in a web of crime and deception. Some wear expensive suits. Some stand behind podiums. Some don the uniform of authority. Some preach morality. Yet beneath their respectable facades lie individuals capable of extraordinary cruelty.
As the body count rises and public support for the Vigilante grows, the pressure intensifies. A determined investigator begins hunting him. A journalist seeks to tempt him into more killings to elevate the broadcasting station following. Admirers and copycats emerge, eager to join his crusade, often creating as many problems as they solve.
The tension is relentless because you constantly find yourself torn. Part of you wants Ji-yong to succeed. Part of you fears that every step he takes brings him closer to arrest, exposure, or death. You find yourself walking a moral tightrope alongside him, questioning whether the law should always be obeyed when it appears incapable of protecting the innocent.
The emotional impact becomes even stronger when innocent people become caught in the crossfire. One of Ji-yong's allies pays the ultimate price, and some of the drama's most powerful moments come from watching his grief and anger. Particularly frustrating is the case of a corrupt individual who receives praise and promotion after death, when his crimes should have been exposed and judged. Those moments remind us that injustice is not always committed by criminals alone; sometimes it is enabled by institutions that choose convenience or public image over truth.
The drama leaves many questions hanging in the air. While justice is ultimately served on several key villains, some of the biggest and most powerful players manage to evade full accountability. The ending is deliberately open-ended, suggesting that the fight against corruption is never truly over. Given the scale of the unresolved storylines, I would welcome a sequel. It is hard not to feel disappointed when some of the biggest fish still swim free.
What makes Vigilante compelling is not only its action or suspense, but the ethical dilemma at its heart. Most viewers will agree that dangerous criminals should face consequences. The harder question is whether an individual has the right to decide what those consequences should be. The drama never allows that question to become comfortable. Ji-yong's actions may satisfy a desire for justice, but they also place him, and those around him, in grave danger. In pursuing criminals, he risks becoming one himself.
I finished watching this drama shortly after visiting a friend whose son is addicted to drugs. The family are decent, caring people, and his siblings have all turned out well. Yet he became involved with drugs after dealers targeted students near his school. The addiction has devastated his life and even driven him to attempt suicide. It makes me start to admire countries with capital sentence for hardcore drug traffickers who destroy lives.
Stories like that make dramas such as Vigilante resonate more deeply. They remind us that crime is not an abstract concept. Behind every statistic is a victim, a family, and a life altered forever. While no society can function if everyone takes the law into their own hands, it is impossible not to understand the anger that fuels Ji-yong's crusade.
Ultimately, Vigilante asks a question that lingers long after the final episode: when justice fails, who is left to protect the victim? And perhaps even more troubling—what happens when the people entrusted to uphold justice become part of the problem?
For viewers with a strong sense of justice, this drama is difficult to resist. It is tense, morally complex, emotionally charged, and guaranteed to leave you debating its central question long after the credits roll.
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Worth mentioning too is Dai Yu in a supporting role, who does very well portraying a character shifting between arrogance and disappointment. I remember him as the villain in The Legends, and in every major drama where I have seen him as a second lead or in support, he has delivered. I have yet to see him headline a highly rated blockbuster, but I hope that opportunity comes soon.
I would also give credit to Fu Jia as Hu Xiu’s father. I have often seen him cast as despicable yet comical mandarins—he has the perfect expressive eyes for those roles—but here he reveals a different side as a protective, loving father, showing impressive versatility as an actor.
Why does this drama have such appeal?
It opens with Hu Xiu being abandoned by her fiancé at their engagement party—he simply does not show up. From there, she crosses paths with Xiao Zhiyu, a highly successful architect with his own design firm, and Pei Zhen, heir to a major construction empire. Both handsome, accomplished, and deeply drawn to her. There is something undeniably satisfying in watching a woman who has been walked out on find herself pursued by two exceptional men, while the awful ex-fiancé eventually receives his karma. That sense of vindication is sweet.
There is also a relatable underdog arc. Hu Xiu leaves a dreadful assistant job, struggles to break into architecture, disappointed in offer of similar roles, and only later gets the opportunity she wants. Many of us know how one unexpected event can alter the course of life. The drama plays well with that idea—had she landed the first job she interviewed for, even her romantic path might have been entirely different.
As with many romance dramas, there are plenty of “save the damsel in distress” moments from both suitors—ha! Much of the humour comes from their rivalry and jealous sparring. Watching Hu Xiu caught between two determined lovers is genuinely entertaining.
There is a thread of mystery running through the story, though not in who Xiao Zhiyu is pursuing—that much is clear. The deeper intrigue lies in what truly happened, and the hidden reasons why it unfolded as it did. The tension lies less in mystery and more in the rivalry between Pei Zhen and Xiao Zhiyu—played out on both the commercial battlefield and in matters of the heart. In a fiercely competitive commercial world like China’s, both open rivalry and underhanded tactics feel entirely believable.
For Chinese dramas, I usually gravitate toward historical or fantasy genres. The costumes and CGI are beautiful, but they also ask less realism of the viewer—who can say how deities or ancient courts ought to behave? Modern dramas are different. I often feel Chinese modern dramas can be overly cautious and less realistic, and there are a few things here I did question:
- In reality, architects are not usually blamed when buildings collapse; that tends to fall more on structural engineering (the civil engineers) or construction failures (the contractors or builders).
- Some of the public displays of affection felt less believable in a Chinese setting. Why does no one comes along and make some nasty comments?
- The parents' reaction to the couple sleeping together felt far milder than one might expect in a conservative society.
- And yes, those short skirts belong on date nights, not in the office—the costume designer needed a reality check. Professional dress is still very much alive, even in the West. Standards may have relaxed, but not that far up the thigh.
- Finally, there are familiar tropes—the classic “we fell in love, but something tragic happened between our families /clans a generation ago.” Overused? A little.
Those are my nitpicks. For modern dramas, I still tend to prefer Korean dramas, which I find bolder and often more realistic, rather than leaning as heavily on proven formulas and accepted tropes, trying to please the audience at the same time get accepted by the authorities.
That said, as you can see, I still gave this a 9.
And that tells you something—I do recommend watching this drama.
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